Little Falls transcript., 1887-05-13
tsCOLONEI4 SELLERS. Q
Sketch Of the Lats John I. Raymond, tho CeIe
Z ~ # /: brated Actor. #ssss s 3 5ss

Il 5-Tsys
Sketch Of the iats John +. Raynond, tho Cele
brated Actor. M So sa@
From the New York Sun. Ss.. III .* s#.S5
Raymond's right name was John
O. Brien. He changed it by the ad.
vice OF friends, who thought il would
be less difficult for him to succeed on
the stage under some other name. He
was born in Buffalo on April s, 1885.
He was educated for . mercatile life,
but the humdrum ways Of business
did not suit him. He first appeared
on the stage as Lopez in the Honey
moon" On June 27, 1858, in Roches.
ter. The following year he played
Timothy Quaint in the Soldiers
Daughter" He has played in every
city in this country. - - g..
Mr.. Raymond never drank or used
tobacco in any form. He never ate
meat and was never known to lose
his temper. He was considered "a
competent. droll, correct actor. His
Mark Twain made out OF the book,
''The Gilded Age In that work OF
the humorist was the character OF Col.
Sellers, with the adventures in which
ne figures now so faniliarly in the
drama. The production was Twain's
own, and his monetary thrift marked
the enterprise. Twain bore the ex-
penses of the venture.
Raymond was greatly given to guy
ing mis- fellow actors on the stage, and
when not acting, to matching comes
with whomesoever he met. The $50
gold piece was q tavorite coin with
him, though he would always stoop
to win even the quarters OF less ven
turesome players. Hehas been known
thousand times to match for a mere
cigar, but with pocket of jingling
eagles and %double-eagles he was
happiest at the hazard. He found
great sport in pins. The point OF a
pin deftly intruded between a fellow
actors shoulder blades during seri-
Gus scene in g. play always afforded
him enjoyment. He liked to see how
nearly he could upset a solemn face.
On one occasion a young man was
playing Clay Hawkins in "Colonel
Sellers" and Raymond, putting mis-
arm caressingly about the young
mans neck, prodded him with
pin for two acts. In the third act
the pin seemed to lose it's effect.
The young man had inserted a
thin book under the back of his
coat. The hearty, even exuberant
manner OF the genial Colonel Sellers
was Raymond's natural manner, and
it was seen in all his later parts on the
stage 1t was no less observable in his
bearing off the stage, and he always
shook hands very much as Colonel
Sellers did in his greeting. "Morning,
Nancy, morning!" as he slapped Mrs.
ST Hawkins violently on the back.
He once dropped into a steamship
Office, and, slapping a gold eagle down
upon the desk, said to the astonished
clerk: 81 want to 60 to England and
will match you for the passage. If I
lose I'll pay double fair"
Raymond once missed the train to
Chicago by stopping to match a dol
lar with a friend. He was a great
friend of the late E. A. Sothern, the
well-known Lord Dundreary Of the
stage, and they used to play some
great jokes on each other. His health
failed rapidly during the past year,
and he had been compelled more than
once to leave the stage.
One day, five or six years ago, while
dining with six friends, it was suggest
ed that each put $4,000 into a Wall
street pool. A certain operation
promised big returns. The scheme
was tried. It failed. Mr.. Raymond
kept on in speculation and lost $780,
900 which remained of his savings.
After that he was comparatively
poor, although always capable OF
earning good income.
Off the stage Mr. Raymond was one
OF the most genial OF men. His years
were not apparent in his natty, we'll
dressed figure or in his smiling face.
His first wife was Marie Gordon, a
handsome actress, from whom he
parted legally by means OF divorce.
Six years ago he married Miss
Courtney Barnes, daughter Of Mrs.
Rose Eytinge by her first husband.
With her his wedlock seemed extreme
ly happy. They had a remarkably
pretty boy, now five years old. Mrs.
Raymond has not Travelled with him
this season, though visiting him at
handy points on his route, and when
he has been i'll.